


Mint Chocolate Chip

by seungminish



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boyfriends, Boys In Love, Childhood Friends, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Love, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Mush, Hwang Hyunjin is Whipped, Hwang Hyunjin is Whipped for Kim Seungmin, I really love seungjin okay, Idiots in Love, Kim Seungmin is Whipped, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, giving seungjin the content they deserve, i love kim seungmin, makeout sessions, seungjin is superior, seungjin/hyunmin, we love boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 03:11:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17654954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seungminish/pseuds/seungminish
Summary: Hyunjin helps Seungmin through love and heartbreak… but doesn’t want to think about his own.





	Mint Chocolate Chip

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! this story is based on the song Hard by Why Don't We, hence the lyrics of the chorus that will be present at the beginning of every part uwu
> 
> i dedicate this story to my wonderful friends savechangbin2019 and seungminniesmiles <3 i love you
> 
> I hope y'all like this! <3

[Based on the song Hard by Why Don't We]

 _Do you know what is to, be the one to fix you?_  
_And all you do is run back to the one who breaks your heart_

Hyunjin remembered the first time Seungmin came running to him, crying and clinging onto him like he was a lifeline.

It was the summer after their first year of high school, and Hyunjin had been alone in his room, vigorously studying (but not really processing) the information in his biology textbook. He’d almost been on the verge of giving up and throwing in the towel, since he was probably going to fail anyway, when Seungmin came barging in his room and threw his arms around the older’s neck. Tears were streaming down his face, and the shoulder of Hyunjin’s shirt became soaked. But Hyunjin didn’t really say anything; he didn’t really know how to react except to wrap his arms around the waist of the younger and stroke his hair comfortingly.

“H-he broke up with me, Hyunjinnie,” Seungmin said between hiccups, pulling back from Hyunjin to look up at him, his tears glistening as he attempted to wipe them furiously and failed. “He broke up with me, saying he ‘needed a break’, but I saw- _I saw him kissing a girl l in the hallway right after_ ,” he spluttered out, covering his face with his hands. “Am I- was I not good enough? I tried to be a good boyfriend, _I swear I tried-_ ”

“Hey, look at me,” Hyunjin said, gently prying the younger’s hands off of his face as he looked at him intently. “You didn’t do anything wrong, you hear me? That guy, the one who hurt you, he’s an asshole,” he asserted, using his thumbs to wipe the remaining tears from Seungmin’s soft cheeks.

“B-but if only I had _tried_ more, maybe he _wouldn’t have been_ -” Seungmin choked out as he sobbed softly, burying his face in Hyunjin’s chest and clutching his shirt tightly.

“That’s not true. You tried, you did your best, but he took your love for granted,” Hyunjin said softly, caressing the younger’s hair comfortingly. “ _He’s the one who didn’t try hard enough_.”

“ _N-no_ , that can’t- _it was all my fault-_ ”

“Listen to me, Seungminnie,” Hyunjin muttered, lifting up Seungmin’s chin so the younger’s eyes met his own. “He didn’t recognize what he had, and that’s his fault. You’re the best damn boyfriend anyone could ever have, Kim Seungmin,” Hyunjin continued as he held Seungmin’s hands comfortingly, “and if he didn’t realize that, then he never even deserved you in the first place.”

Seungmin sniffled and nodded, wiping his tears with his sleeve, not caring that is was soaked already. “Okay,” he whispered, throwing his arms around Hyunjin and sobbing softly once again, a small smile encompassing his face. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Hyunjinnie,” he muttered into Hyunjin’s shoulder, and Hyunjin simply remained silent in response. “Really, why couldn’t there be more guys more like you out there for me to date?” Seungmin questioned as he pulled back and smiled for the first time since his outburst.

“I’m a guy like me, you know,” Hyunjin said somewhat jokingly, wrapping his arm around Seungmin’s shoulders and pulling him closer. “How about you give me a try?” The both of them were used to this kind of banter, this pointless back-and-forth teasing that always seemed to help them when they were down. Only this time… for the first time, Hyunjin felt different; his heart was pounding like crazy and he felt like there might be some truth behind the words he’d just spoken so jokingly.

Seungmin simply pushed him off and laughed, smacking his shoulder lightly. “Haha, _as if_. You’re as straight as a pole, and you know I don’t go for straight guys,” Seungmin said with a humorous smile as he raised an eyebrow. “Besides, you’re my _best friend_ , and… _ew_ ,” he exclaimed with a disgusted shudder, causing them to both burst into laughter like they always did everytime this topic came up.

After that, they both talked normally, the conversation and Seungmin’s previous mood seemingly dissipating into thin air and forgotten. But Hyunjin didn’t really _feel_ normal; instead, he felt weird and kind of on-edge. Suddenly, while he talked and laughed with Seungmin, he couldn’t help but notice his heart beating a little bit faster than normal, his hands shaking a bit more, his cheeks heating up just the slightest bit more than usual.

But he simply brushed the feeling off; it was probably just the hot weather or something. He was probably just overthinking it, he concluded with a shrug as he looked at Seungmin, waving at the younger boy as he walked out of his house with a happy smile. Hyunjin was simply satisfied that Seungmin could leave his house with that smile even after what had happened; all he really wanted for Seungmin was for him to be happy, wherever or with whoever that might be… right?

Hyunjin didn’t really think about his feelings again until the next day after school, when Seungmin returned to his house, all smiles and happy jumps. Hyunjin was a bit surprised; he had been expecting Seungmin to grieve a bit more, but perhaps him coming over to his house had helped him and that was why he was happier, he thought.

He thought wrong.

“He apologized, Hyunjinnie! And he told me that he didn’t _really_ mean to kiss that girl. It was a… heat of the moment thing, because he was sad that he broke up with me,” Seungmin said, and Hyunjin simply stared at him in disbelief. “He said he instantly regretted saying we needed a break, and that he actually still loved me, so… we’re back together,” he exclaimed with the most innocent smile that broke Hyunjin’s heart.

“Hold on, you don’t _actually_ believe that, right? Seungmin, you may be book smart, but you’re not smart at all when it comes to relationships,” Hyunjin blurted out. “I mean, he broke up with you and then kissed someone right in front of you! That’s a dick move! You deserve better than that asshole! Guys like that are only trouble!”

“Oh, so suddenly you’re a love guru or something? Do you get to decide who I deserve or who I don’t? Are you going to decide when I brush my teeth now too?” Seungmin retorted, venom dripping from his every word.

“C’mon, Seungminnie, you know I don’t mean it like that! But I mean, seriously, you can’t seriously believe someone who did that to you, right? He’s taking advantage of you! You shouldn’t date guys like- like that,” Hyunjin replied, crossing his arms and looking at Seungmin with concern.

“I’ll decide who I date or who I don’t date, and I definitely don’t need some straight guy who’s got girls lining up for him left and right like _you_ advising _me_ on relationships.” Seungmin picked up his bag and swung it over his shoulder, his eyes suddenly turning cold on the contrary to his usually warm gaze. “You know, out of everyone, I thought _you’d_ be the one who’d understand and support me, but I guess I was wrong,” he muttered before walking out of Hyunjin’s bedroom door and out of sight, leaving just as quickly has he’d came.

Hyunjin was too stunned to even say anything as he watched the younger walk away. He was feeling a whirlwind of emotions; he felt angry, confused, sad, _everything_. All he’d wanted was for Seungmin to be happy, but he knew that someone like that wouldn’t be able to give him happiness. Hyunjin groaned; why couldn’t Seungmin _see_ that? Why couldn’t he _see_ that he deserved someone like-

 _Himself_. He felt his eyes widen and his heart rate quicken at the thought. No, that couldn’t be right. Himself? Hyunjin wasn’t gay; he’d never even looked at another guy romantically in his entire life. And Seungmin… Seungmin was his best friend. Nothing more, nothing less. Hyunjin laughed to himself; it was probably just his hormones or something talking. Yeah, that was probably it, he thought, brushing his previous thoughts away and occupying himself with his normal routine in order to forget his best friend.

Hyunjin hadn’t noticed it at the time, but that day, Seungmin running to him and crying wasn’t the only thing that happened for the first time.

It was also the first time he’d fallen in love with Kim Seungmin, and it sure as hell wasn’t going to be the last.

_You're makin' this too hard_

_I know I said I'll be your friend, but it's too hard_

_Hard, it's just too hard_

Hyunjin remembered the first time he saw (or more specifically, noticed) Seungmin truly happy with someone other than him.

Hyunjin just so happened to see the puppy-like being out one day in one of the parks that he and Seungmin used to frequent when they were younger. Except this time, he wasn’t alone or with Hyunjin; he had a taller figure next to him that he was holding hands with. Hyunjin knew this person wasn’t the same person as his last boyfriend; Seungmin had broken up with that guy a few months ago after catching him cheating (after which he had come back to Hyunjin and apologized, crying and clinging onto him like the first time, not that the older minded).

He felt just the slightest bit hurt; Seungmin hadn’t told him about this person at all, he thought, as his heart started pounding against his chest and his hands became clammy. Hyunjin squinted, his eyes becoming crescents as he struggled to see who it was and failed miserably. The only thing he could really see was the smiles that the two of them held as they laughed together, and he clutched his shirt from the pain in his heart (which, strangely, was something that had become frequent whenever he saw Seungmin).

“Do you know them, Hyunjin-oppa?” The voice interfered with his thoughts, and Hyunjin snapped out of his trance to look at the girl standing next to him, clutching his arm as she looked at him curiously. She pressed her cheek against the arm of his jacket, looking up at him expectantly. From this angle, she looked like the shorter, female version of Seungmin, Hyunjin thought mindlessly as he blinked at her. “Hyunjin-oppa?”

“Oh, uh, not really,” Hyunjin said quickly in response, looking away from the couple as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He forced himself to look at his girlfriend instead of looking back like his mind was screaming at him to. “Anyways, what were you saying?”

“I was just saying, I think it’s weird for two guys to go out like that. I mean, it’s disgusting-” The girl started to say, stopping suddenly as Hyunjin quickly retracted his arm from her shoulder and took two steps away from her as he stared at her in disbelief. “What? It’s true.”

“Are you serious? They’re just two people who love each other. I don’t see anything disgusting about that,” Hyunjin said, not able to believe that she had just said such a horrible statement.

“Yeah, but they’re _two guys_ -”

“So what? Who cares if they’re two guys? They have every right to love each other just like any straight couple would,” Hyunjin retorted, his eyes widening at the sheer ignorance this girl had. “Gay, bisexual, straight, it doesn’t matter. Everyone should be able to love who they want without discrimination,” he continued coldly, but the girl simply shrugged.

“Why are you getting so defensive? You’re not gay, so you shouldn’t even care,” the girl said with a raised eyebrow as she crossed her arms.

“What? Are you kidding me? I shouldn’t defend them just because I’m not gay?” Hyunjin could feel his blood begin to boil, and he struggled to collect his thoughts as his hands started to shake. “For your information, my best friend is gay, and he seems to be having a much better time with his boyfriend over there than I am with you. So, yes, I will support them with everything I’ve got because good people like him deserve to have someone who’ll support them no matter what,” Hyunjin rambled, his fists clenching tightly.

The girl’s eyes widened as she looked back at the couple near them, realization dawning upon her. “ _Oh,_ I’m sorry, I didn’t know-”

“Sorry won’t take back what you said. We’re over,” Hyunjin said finally, turning away from his now ex-girlfriend and walking away, not looking back even once. He found his eyes leading themselves towards Seungmin and his boyfriend, and a small, sad smile appeared on his face as he saw them talking happily amongst themselves. He tore his eyes away, ignoring the growing pain in his heart as he took quick, long strides all the way home.

Afterward, Hyunjin laid mindlessly on his bed, reflecting on the events of the day when Seungmin barged his way into his room as he always did. “Geez, dude, have you ever heard of knocking?”

“Knocking? Is that a thing straights do?” Seungmin asked as he jumped on Hyunjin’s bed, laughing as Hyunjin hit him with a pillow. The younger grabbed another of Hyunjin’s pillows, smacking him right back as he smirked mischievously.

“Oh, that’s it. Now you’re in for it,” Hyunjin said as he and Seungmin began whacking each other with their pillows, laughing like idiots as the pillows exploded and feathers began flying everywhere. They fought playfully until they both grew tired and laid side by side on Hyunjin’s bed, breathing heavily as they held the biggest smiles on their faces.

Hyunjin unconsciously grabbed Seungmin’s hand, and they turned their heads towards each other, smiling and laughing once again. Hyunjin felt his heart race just the slightest bit more as he eyes drew to the lower half of Seungmin’s face and landed on his lips. He’d never noticed it before; how the younger’s lips were so perfectly shaped and how they looked _so, so_ soft. He almost felt like dipping his head down and kissing him-

His eyes widened as the thought entered his head. Him? Kissing Seungmin? He shook his head; he shouldn’t even be thinking about that, especially since Seungmin had a boyfriend. Plus, Seungmin was his _best friend_ , and he wouldn’t dare to change their already perfect relationship. Yet… his mind couldn’t help but wander back to the thought of the younger’s soft, kissable lips; _God, what he’d do to kiss those lips-_

“...Hyunjin? Hello?” A hand waved in front of his face, and Hyunjin snapped out of his trance, eyes woozily landing on Seungmin. “Were you even listening to me?”

“You were talking about… DAY6?” Hyunjin offered with a goofy smile as his face burned red from embarrassment, attempting to act like he hadn’t just been thinking of kissing the life out of his best friend.

“Good guess, but no,” Seungmin said as he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms from disappointment. “I had asked, you said you had a date with your girlfriend today, right? How did that go?”

The smile that was on Hyunjin’s face immediately disappeared, and it must have been obvious from the way Seungmin was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. “I broke up with her,” Hyunjin said bluntly, and he observed as Seungmin’s eyes widened, probably from the lack of sadness that the older was portraying. “We… didn’t really agree on some things,” he attempted to explain, causing the other to nod slowly in understanding. Hyunjin was eternally grateful that Seungmin knew not to push for an explanation, and he squeezed his best friend’s hand for comfort. Whether that comfort was for himself or indirectly for Seungmin, he didn’t really know.

“But that doesn’t really matter, because the only person I need is you anyway,” Hyunjin said with a huff as he wrapped his arms around Seungmin’s waist like he always did when they were younger. “I love you and only you, Kim Seungmin,” he said jokingly, earning a smack on the shoulder from Seungmin as the younger laughed angelically.

“Stop that, you tease, or I’ll start to actually believe it,” Seungmin giggled as he pushed Hyunjin off of him, his eyes glittering like the stars in the night sky.

“What? You don’t believe me? Fine, I’ll give you a kiss to prove it,” Hyunjin said with a smirk, leaning in closer and closer to Seungmin, his heart beating a mile a minute as his eyes darted lower to Seungmin’s lips again. _Just a little bit closer, and-_

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Seungmin said with a laugh as he pushed Hyunjin away from himself once again, resulting in Hyunjin pouting at him from disappointment. “Don’t look at me like that,” Seungmin muttered, “Idiot, you know I’m weak for that face.”

“C’mon, just one?” Hyunjin asked, emphasizing his expression by pouting even more. Seungmin shook his head stubbornly, a goofy smile on his face, and the older of the two let out a small ‘hmph’ before an idea popped into his head.

Seungmin’s eyes widened as Hyunjin’s hands drew closer to his waist, and he shook his head wildly. “No, don’t you dare-” He squeaked, quickly being cut off by the older tickling him like crazy. Seungmin couldn’t stop laughing as Hyunjin continued to do so mercilessly, and it kept going on in the same fashion until the younger muttered his next words. “I have a boyfriend, so I can’t-” he said, catching his breath as Hyunjin finally stopped tickling him and stared at him with wide eyes.

“Boyfriend? Since when?” Hyunjin asked, acting surprised as he sat back. “Kim Seungmin, you’ve been hiding such an important thing from _me_ , your _best friend_?” He feigned shock, and Seungmin smacked his shoulder playfully as he laughed in the happy way that Hyunjin loved so much.

“Shut up, I haven’t. You know I would never,” the younger said with confidence, and Hyunjin’s eyes searched his face for any sort of lie, not detecting any. “We literally just started dating today, _babo._  It was kind of a, how should I say it, an impulse date? He’d asked me out this morning, and we kind of just decided to go out right after,” Seungmin admitted, and Hyunjin’s lips formed an ‘o’ as he nodded in understanding.

“Okay, tell me, what’s he like? He’d better be good to you, or I’ll go beat his ass right now,” Hyunjin said, but he already knew the answer. He’d seen the way Seungmin smiled with that guy, how he laughed with him just like he had been with Hyunjin all these years.

“I like him a lot, actually. You know, he kind of reminds me of you,” Seungmin admitted with a rosy blush, and Hyunjin’s eyes widened. “He’s really kind and sweet, and he knows how to make me laugh. And he also likes cuddling, which I love,” he said softly, and he covered his face with his hands from embarrassment.

“Like me, huh?” Hyunjin whispered softly, feeling his heart suddenly pound painfully against his chest. Seungmin looked at him and raised an eyebrow, a tell that Hyunjin knew was for him to speak louder. “Uh, I said congratulations. He seems like a great guy, from what you’re saying,” Hyunjin said, clearing his throat awkwardly, and Seungmin looked at him with a strange expression that the older couldn’t quite decipher. “But I mean, if he’s like me, he’s _got_ to be amazing, right?” He asked jokingly, earning an eye roll from the younger. Hyunjin let out a small sigh of relief, thankful that he managed to shift Seungmin’s focus from his awkwardness to his humor.

If Seungmin noticed his strange behavior, he didn’t comment on it, and instead went on to ramble about his date and his wonderful new boyfriend. Although Hyunjin really tried, he couldn’t focus on what the younger was saying, and instead let his mind wander elsewhere. More specifically, to Seungmin’s lips and just Seungmin in general.

Was it normal to want to kiss your best friend? No, it definitely wasn’t, Hyunjin thought as he groaned internally. But he didn’t know what to classify what he was feeling as; he wanted to just brush it off as himself being an affectionate friend, even though he knew it wasn’t that. However, he felt too scared to label it as anything more from the fear of his best friend becoming something else in his eyes. So he just pushed the thoughts out of his head and resorted to ignoring them, just as he had before.

It was probably nothing, anyway.

 _I said I'll be there to the end but it's too hard_  
_Hard, it's just too hard_

Hyunjin remembered the first time he had accepted that he was in love with Kim Seungmin.

It was a little while after Seungmin’s break-up with his previous boyfriend, but the two had ended their relationship on good terms. According to Seungmin, the two had decided that they just weren’t romantically attracted to each other anymore, and had parted on peaceful terms.

But Hyunjin could see that Seungmin was still thinking about it, thinking about _him_ , as if he was regretting their mutual decision. Every now and then, he’d catch Seungmin drifting off into thought, his eyes burning with something that seemed like confusion. Hyunjin, wanting to help his best friend, would occasionally ask the younger what was wrong, only to receive a simple “it’s nothing” and a deep sigh as an answer, to the older’s dismay.

Hyunjin knew not to pry. Seungmin would come around when he felt like it, and Hyunjin would respect that. But he couldn’t help but feel sad seeing his friend in such a confused, indecisive haze, so he decided that he would do something to help him get out of it. And as a result, Hyunjin was now patiently waiting in front of his best friend’s house after ringing the doorbell, dressed in an attractive outdoor outfit composed of a white cap, black joggers, Adidas Superstars and a white hoodie.

When Seungmin opened the door, Hyunjin observed that he looked like the stark contrast of himself. The younger man was comfortably dressed in soft blue silk pajamas, and he rubbed a single eye lazily as he clutched a large plushie with his other hand. Hyunjin felt his breath catch in his throat as Seungmin let out a small whine at the sight of the older, struggling to open his eyes to adjust them to the light. “What the _hell_ are you doing at my house at eight in the goddamn morning, Hwang? It’s the weekend, for goodness’ sake,” Seungmin muttered angrily, subsequently letting out a stream of angry curses as Hyunjin entered the house and shut the door behind them. “Don’t you usually sleep in until two, anyway?”

Hyunjin, still entranced by the utterly cute and adorable appearance of his best friend, struggled to reply with a coherent sentence. “Well, uh, you see, todayIkindofresolvedtotakeyououtinthemorningtooneofourfavoriteplacestohelpyoufeelbetter-” He choked out quickly as he blushed profusely, and Seungmin turned to look at him with an annoyed glare.

“I have no idea what you just said, but no,” Seungmin said as he trudged up the stairs and towards his bedroom with Hyunjin tailing behind him hurriedly. He watched as Seungmin flopped down onto his bed and curled up into his blanket, and the older climbed on top of him, enveloping the blanket-covered figure in an embrace. “Gerroffofme,” the younger mumbled from under the covers as he struggled to push the larger figure off of him and failed miserably.

“Not until you say yes to coming with me,” Hyunjin said confidently, causing Seungmin to coldly peek out at him from under the blanket. The older simply snickered as the younger groaned and buried himself even deeper into the comforter. Hyunjin smiled as he heard a soft “you’re the absolute devil” from under the blanket, and he smirked as Seungmin’s soft chocolate hair popped out from under the covers once again.

“Fine, I’ll go. Now get off of me, you spawn of Satan,” Seungmin said with a soft growl as he gathered all of his strength and pushed Hyunjin off the bed, causing the older to fall with a ‘thump’ onto the wooden floor. Hyunjin smiled triumphantly as the younger stood up and placed two hands on the older’s back, gently pushing him out of the bedroom and glaring at the taller figure. The older turned around, about to say something teasingly to the younger before noticing the crimson blush that enveloped Seungmin’s face, and suddenly Hyunjin felt like no words would leave his mouth. Seungmin wouldn’t have given him any opportunity to speak either way, because he slammed the door in his face, leaving a very awestruck, confused Hyunjin behind.

Hyunjin still hadn’t processed Seungmin’s reaction by the time the younger emerged from his room, dressed in the most adorable oversized denim t-shirt and ripped, washed-out jeans. The outfit made considerably-tall (but still shorter than Hyunjin) Seungmin look adorably small, and Hyunjin _loved it_. In fact, he loved it so much that he enveloped the younger in a crushing hug, causing Seungmin to groan and push him off as he angrily pouted at the older. “Seungminnie, you’re so _cute_ ,” Hyunjin gushed, reaching his hands out towards the shorter again only to have his hands smacked away by the embarrassed boy.

“Shut up, I’m not cute,” he replied with a glare, a light blush beginning to rise on his face. “ _Bapo_ ,” Seungmin muttered under his breath, turning away from Hyunjin. “Can we leave already? Or are you just going to keep standing there staring at me?” The younger called out to the older, removing his hands from his face and looking at Hyunjin with a raised eyebrow, who was simply standing stationarily with wide eyes. Having realized what Seungmin had said, Hyunjin blushed from embarrassment as he followed the shorter out of his home.

“So, where did you want to go so badly that you woke me up so damn early? It’d better be worth me sacrificing my sleep for, or else you won’t live to see another day, Hwang,” Seungmin muttered, crossing his arms and looking at the taller boy next to him with a raised eyebrow, causing a nervous laugh to pass through Hyunjin. He knew that a cranky Seungmin was a dangerous Seungmin, and he did very much want to live to see the next day, so he very carefully chose his next words.

“Han River,” he muttered silently, not wanting to say anything more in fear of Seungmin whacking him over the head. He observed as Seungmin’s eyes widened, and Hyunjin struggled to splutter out an explanation. “It- it’s our favorite? We used to go there a lot when we were younger so I wanted to go there again?” Hyunjin chuckled nervously as Seungmin looked at him, an unsatisfied expression on his face from the excuses. “Okay, fine, you were looking a little shaken from your last break-up and I decided to take you here to get your mind off of it,” and possibly an explanation, he thought after confessing his true intentions.

Seungmin simply stayed silent in response, and Hyunjin became worried that he had said something wrong. But after a few moments, the younger muttered a soft ‘okay’ to Hyunjin’s surprise. Neither of them said anything else all the way to the Han River, where they walked along the sidewalk quietly.

They remained that way until Hyunjin noticed that Seungmin was slightly shivering, not enough that it was easily noticeable but enough that Hyunjin could see it. “Are you… cold?” He asked suddenly and unconsciously, causing the younger to look at him with a deadpan expression.

“No, dipshit, I’m shivering because it’s boiling hot outside. _Of course I’m cold, bapo_ ,” Seungmin said, rubbing his hands together for warmth. “And I didn’t exactly remember to bring a jacket because a _certain someone_ made me get ready at eight in the morning,” he muttered as he rolled his eyes at Hyunjin.

Hyunjin blinked at him for a few moments before looking down at himself and muttering a small ‘oh’, pulling off his own hoodie, revealing his large white Pro-Specs shirt underneath. He held it out to Seungmin, who simply stared at it and then at Hyunjin with an expression that depicted a disappointed ‘really?’.

“Does this look like a romantic movie to you? How freaking cliche,” Seungmin mumbled, yet he still took it from the taller and put it on, the hoodie (adorably) looking too large and oversized for the smaller. Hyunjin could’ve sworn he saw a small smile appear on the younger’s face, but it disappeared just as quickly as it had come when he looked back at the older.

“I’m only cliche for you, baby,” Hyunjin said smoothly with a wink, earning a soft shove and blush from the younger. It was a line that was supposed to be a joke, but he felt his heartbeat (and regret) only grow faster with every word.

“Don’t _ever_ say that again,” Seungmin said, looking disgusted as his blush only grew redder by the second. “Disgusting,” he muttered, refusing to look at his best friend as he buried his face in his hands. “Utterly disgusting,” he mumbled again as he pulled his hands away and crossed his arms. “Now I can see why he said-” Seungmin stopped suddenly, letting out an almost inaudible ‘fuck’ under his breath.

“Why who said what?” Hyunjin questioned, causing Seungmin to let out a sigh.

“Well… screw it, I might as well tell you now, even though I’d initially planned to tell you later. My ex-boyfriend and I… we didn’t actually separate on the best of terms,” he confessed, causing the older’s eyes to widen and blink at the younger in confusion. “I did like him, I really did, but…,” he took a deep breath, “he thought that I liked _you_ , because I would talk about you all the time, and the way we act around each other… he thought there was something going on between us.”

“Wait, wait- something between _us_? Hah! That’s- that’s impossible,” Hyunjin said with a nervous laugh as he felt his heart beat even faster than it had before. “I mean, come on, we’re _best friends_. There’s nothing going on between us,” he managed to choke out. “Me and you? Together? _As if_ ,” he kept rambling, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. Seungmin simply stared at him with an emotion flickering in his eyes that the older couldn’t quite decipher. Hurt? Disappointment? Confusion? Annoyance? He didn’t really know, and he didn’t dare to ask, too scared of the answer.

“Yeah, that’s- that’s what I told him too,” Seungmin said afterwards with a deep, shaky breath. “But he didn’t believe me, and he had the saddest, most heartbroken smile on his face when he said that we should break up. For some reason, I didn’t have it in me to say we shouldn’t, and when he realized that I wasn’t going to, he simply nodded, smiled, and left without another word. I didn’t even run after him, Hyunjinnie,” he said, looking at the older with a sad smile.

Hyunjin looked at Seungmin for a few moments, the scene reminding him of what had happened two years ago, when the younger had first come to him with a similar situation, where his boyfriend had broken up with him. Except this time… he was much more mature, much more calm, probably because of learning from experience. It broke Hyunjin’s heart, knowing that everytime, Seungmin tried to put in effort in loving someone, but they either ended up leaving or breaking up with him for one reason or the other. But this time, he felt _worse_ , knowing that the main reason that he and the one person who genuinely treated him right had broken up because of _him_.

“The worst part is… I don’t even know _why._ Why didn’t I run after him? Why didn’t I reassure him that I loved him? That I didn’t want to break up with him?” He asked, looking up at the sky as he buried his hands in the pocket of Hyunjin’s hoodie. “I feel like an idiot. I might’ve just lost the best thing I ever had,” Seungmin said softly, “because I couldn’t tell him not to go. Maybe… I thought he was going to leave at one point or another, and I just accepted it when he finally did. God, _what have I done_?” He said, burying his face in his hands and stifling his soft sobs, evidently not wanting to cry in public.

Hyunjin took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was going to say next, knowing that it was something he didn’t want to say at all. “Listen… if you like him, I think you should go back to him and tell him that. If you sincerely let him know that you love him and tell him you’re sorry for not running after him, I think he’ll happily take you back. Some people… some people just want to be reassured that their lover loves them back, you know?” He said shakily, feeling a lump forming in his throat as he forced back a sob. He _hated_ saying those words, and he hated the words he said afterwards even more. “And reassure him… that there’s nothing between us, and there probably won’t ever be, so he doesn’t have to worry about the way we feel about each other.”

Seungmin simply stared at him for a few moments before nodding and burying his face in Hyunjin’s chest as he wrapped his arms around the older’s neck, not caring that they were in public. “Okay,” he muttered, and Hyunjin’s eyes widened as he hoped, _truly hoped_ that Seungmin wouldn’t say what he had before, but to the older’s despair, he did anyway. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Hyunjinnie,” was all it took for the older’s heart to shatter into a million pieces, the memory from two years ago enveloping his mind.

He wrapped his arms around the younger, pulling him closer so that Seungmin wouldn’t be able to see his face. A single tear fell down his face as he struggled to remain composed, taking deep breaths as he desperately hoped the younger didn’t notice the erratic beating of his heart. Unlike the first time, Hyunjin felt himself clinging onto Seungmin, not wanting to let go in fear of losing him forever and to reminisce in this moment of comfort. But all good things eventually come to an end, and Seungmin pulled away with a sad smile on his face, turning away to walk a few steps ahead of Hyunjin on the sidewalk.

Hyunjin walked behind Seungmin, observing the younger’s frame as they strolled quietly. It was then that Hyunjin realized that he was completely, utterly in love with his best friend, his companion, his confidant, his _everything_. He was in love with the adorable smile he had when he was happy, the sad expression he had when he was sad, the weird little things he would do when he was excited, the strange, dinosaur-like noises he’d make randomly, the way he looked so, _so_ cute no matter what he wore (and especially so in Hyunjin’s hoodie, which the older had noticed Seungmin, for some reason, decided to keep).

He was in love with a boy who would (probably) never love him back.

 _You keep runnin' back to him, I know it's hard_ _  
_ _Hard, it's just too hard_

 _  
_ Hyunjin remembered the first time he truly felt alone.

All his life, he’d always felt surrounded by love, whether that might have come from his friends, classmates, lovers, people who had a crush on him, family… _Seungmin_. But as he entered university for the first time, he couldn’t help but feel lonely. While Seungmin (and his boyfriend) had landed himself a spot at a very prestigious university (but honestly, Hyunjin didn’t expect otherwise; Seungmin was a genius), Hyunjin found himself at one of the lesser known, but also still quite prestigious universities. Even though he and Seungmin had been at separate schools before, this time felt different, because now he couldn’t see his best friend everyday at his house like they used to. He’d reassured Seungmin that they’d never lose contact, but really, how could he know that they’d stay the same as they were for so many years?

_“Hey, don’t worry about us. We can call and FaceTime each other everyday, yeah? It’ll be like there isn’t any distance between us just like before,” Hyunjin said softly, holding a mopey Seungmin in his arms. “If there’s one thing I’ll never let go of, it’s our friendship,” he continued, releasing Seungmin from his arms and standing with his arms crossed._

_Seungmin nodded, wiping a single tear from his cheek as he began to back away from Hyunjin. “Don’t you dare forget about me, or I’ll come here just to whack you over the head,” he said with a sad smile as he walked away from Hyunjin’s door and towards his boyfriend’s car. “Bye, Hyunjinnie!” He said, waving as he climbed into the car and drove away. Hyunjin watched as he slowly disappeared from sight, and as soon as he was sure Seungmin was gone, he broke down. He’d been trying to control his tears for as long as his best friend was with him, but now that Seungmin was really gone (with his boyfriend for that matter), he couldn’t stop the tears that were streaming down his face._

_He knew he’d done the right thing, telling Seungmin to go back to his boyfriend, because they both were evidently very good for each other. But if he’d done the right thing, why did it feel wrong? Sure, he was in love with Seungmin, but wouldn’t that mean that all he wanted for him was happiness, no matter who he’d achieve that happiness with? Even if Seungmin might have been happy, Hyunjin wasn’t happy; all he felt was regret and loneliness._

_But Hyunjin forced himself to stop crying and wipe his tears, because there was nothing he could do now. Even though he’d told Seungmin that he’d never let go of their friendship, he could already feel it slipping through his grasp with every mile the younger traveled away from him, probably laughing and smiling with his boyfriend as he did so._

_He inhaled and exhaled shakily, a firm resolve growing in his heart as the sounds of the car disappeared. He’d forget, he’d forget everything that he felt for Kim Seungmin, every quickened heartbeat, every blush, every romantic thought, all of it would be gone. He’d make sure that the only memories he’d hold of Seungmin would be those of his best friend, not his crush. Even if he wouldn’t let go of their friendship, he’d sure as hell make sure he let go of these feelings._

But it had been a while since then, and Hyunjin didn’t quite find himself doing a good job of forgetting his feelings for Seungmin. Instead, he found himself in the company of Jeongin, Jisung and Felix, his three closest friends and roommates he had met during university, with a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream that he had been devouring viciously.

“I just don’t understand how it’s possible for a single person to like someone else _this_ much,” Hyunjin whined as he shoved _yet another_ large spoon of ice cream into his mouth. “I feel like an idiot. Why did I tell him to go back to that guy? I mean, who _does_ that? No one in their right mind,” he continued to complain as he pouted angrily.

“Yeah, that _was_ kind of a dumb move,” Jisung intervened, earning glares from both Felix and Jeongin. “I’m kidding! But seriously, though, Jinnie, you need to stop beating yourself up about it. You did what you thought was best at the time, and from what you’ve told me, it seems like Seungmin-ssi’s happy because of it. Besides, love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”

“Wow, did Jisung-hyung finally say something smart? Someone tell the news, a miracle’s occurred,” Jeongin said sarcastically, earning a glare from Jisung and snickers from Felix and even Hyunjin, who couldn’t help but laugh.

“As if. I bet he used BrainyQuote,” Felix intervened with a humorous smirk, seemingly joking from the way he snickered. But all three friends’ eyes widened from amusement when Jisung seemed to blush from embarrassment, causing them to burst into laughter. “ _Oh my god, you actually did-”_

“Robert A. Heinlein doesn’t deserve this disrespect,” Jisung said defensively as he looked at his phone’s screen, very evidently attempting to make sure he read the name properly, causing them to burst into laughter once again. Jisung simply sat with his arms crossed, glaring at his friends as they continued to laugh at his expense. “ _I_ don’t deserve this disrespect,” he said with a huff, only causing them to laugh even harder.

Hyunjin struggled to clutch his tub of ice cream as he laughed, his stomach almost hurting from the amusement he felt from the situation. When his laughter finally died down, he looked between his three best friends with a soft smile. “Thanks, guys. I feel much better,” he said as he looked at them gratefully, feeling thankful that he had such amazing friends who could raise his self-esteem even during his worst moments.

However, that happiness didn’t last for much longer, since their humorous conversation was interrupted by the oldest’s phone ringing loudly, the custom ringtone of DAY6’s “Shoot Me” filling the air. Hyunjin knew that ringtone all too well; Seungmin had practically snatched his new phone as soon as Hyunjin had gotten it in order to change his ringtone from the standard tone to his favorite band’s iconic song. Now, whenever Seungmin called him, the lyrics “ _Just shoot me”_ rang out, which, ironically, was exactly how Hyunjin felt at that moment as he stared at his phone.

“Oh, it’s Seungmin-ssi, huh?” Jisung intervened, causing Hyunjin to stare at him with wide eyes. “Okay, it’s obvious by the way you’re blushing like a tomato. Oh, that and the fact that “Shoot Me” started playing, since you keep going _on and on_ about how much he loves DAY6,” he said, causing Hyunjin to groan as he clutched his phone tightly, feeling embarrassed after the realization dawned upon him that he really did always rant about Seungmin.

“Shut up,” was the only response the flustered Hyunjin could mutter as he blushed furiously, finally working up the courage to press the answer button. “Hey, Seungminnie,” he said as cheerfully as he could muster. “What’s up?” Hyunjin’s question was simply met with silence, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he waited for a few seconds and still received no response. “Hello? Seungminnie? You there?”

Hyunjin’s breath caught in his throat as he began to hear soft sniffles through the phone. Hyunjin knew what that meant, and he hastily placed his tub of ice cream on the table and stood up, earning questioning looks from his friends. He mouthed a quick ‘I’ll be back later’, and couldn’t throw on his hoodie and shoes fast enough as he bolted out of the door, his phone still against his ear as got into his car and put it into ignition. “Wait for me. I’ll be right there.”

He ended the call and backed out of his apartment complex’s parking lot, driving speedily as he felt his heart begin to race faster and faster. His mind was racing with questions; what had happened? Why was Seungmin crying? He couldn’t think of possibilities fast enough, and soon, he was already at Seungmin’s apartment. He hastily searched through his keys as he stood in front of the door, looking for the spare key the younger had given him when he had first moved in. He sighed from relief when he found it, a key endowed with the letters S & H in cursive letters, and unlocked the door hastily.

Hyunjin was met with the sound of loud sobs, the sight of a very distraught Seungmin filling his vision. The younger was sitting on his couch, clutching his pillow and a box of tissues that had practically almost run out due to the amount he had used. If the sight itself wasn’t enough to make Hyunjin feel sadness for the younger, then Seungmin’s words to him surely did. “It happened again. It’s just like the first time,” the crying boy whispered, heartbreak evident in every word.

Flashes of the first time Seungmin came running and crying to him a few years ago appeared in Hyunjin’s mind, and he felt his heart shatter for the younger. He quietly took a seat next to Seungmin on his couch and pulled the younger into his arms, letting him cry into his chest as the taller stroked his hair comfortingly. “I’m so sorry,” were the only words Hyunjin could muster to speak as he held his best friend.

Hyunjin didn’t need to ask him to explain, because he knew him and the previous experience well enough to know _not_ to ask. Instead, he resorted to muttering soft reassurances in Seungmin’s ear, letting the younger know that it _wasn’t his fault_ and that _he deserved better_ , just like the first time. Because it was true, Seungmin did deserve better, yet no one he loved seemed to want to treat him that way. Just the thought of it ignited anger and sadness in Hyunjin’s heart, because an angel like Seungmin seemed to only be receiving heartache everywhere he turned, even though he had done nothing wrong.

The two best friends remained in the same situation until Seungmin’s sobbing slowly came to a stop, with Hyunjin still stroking his hair and muttering comforting words in the former’s ear. Hyunjin placed a steady hand on Seungmin’s back, rubbing soft circles against it and opening his mouth to speak, until he noticed that the younger’s eyes were closed. So, he decided against it and simply sighed, feeling Seungmin’s soft breaths against his chest as he slept quietly. Hyunjin couldn’t resist placing the softest of kisses on Seungmin’s chocolate hair, inhaling the oh-so-familiar scent of strawberries and home as he let out a ghost of a whisper.

“I love you, Seungminnie.”

_I know I said I’ll be your friend, but it’s too hard_

_Hard, it’s just too hard_

Seungmin remembered the first time he fell in love with Hyunjin.

He and Hyunjin had been out on a hot summer day after their last year of middle school had just finished, the both of them riding their bikes together on their way home, when all of a sudden, Hyunjin’s bike screeched to a stop. Seungmin turned around to look at the older, his eyes looking at him questioningly. Hyunjin was looking somewhere, and the younger’s eyes followed his line of sight until they landed on a small ice cream stand that was just across the street. Hyunjin pouted at the sight, and let out a sigh as he turned back to look at Seungmin. “Ah, sorry. Let’s go,” Hyunjin muttered, placing his foot on the pedal as he got ready to start riding again.

Seungmin simply looked at him, blinking for a few moments before he let out a soft sigh. “Do you want some?” He questioned, watching as Hyunjin’s eyes widened as he blushed from embarrassment and he shook his head furiously.

“Ah, no, it’s alright. I didn’t even bring any money with me today,” Hyunjin admitted, only blushing more because of how embarrassed he felt. “But really, don’t worry about it. I can just get it later,” he muttered, fiddling with his fingers as he glanced back at the ice cream stand longingly before placing his hands onto the handles of his bike.

Seungmin sighed again and got off of his bike, taking off his helmet and tying it to the handle. “What flavor do you want?” He said as he locked his bike to the bike rack, looking at Hyunjin questioningly and raising one eyebrow at the older. “I think I have enough money with me for one,” Seungmin mumbled to himself, taking the spare change he had in his pocket and counting 3000 won. “Yup, enough for one,” he said, looking at Hyunjin, who was still blushing from embarrassment.

“Seungminnie, you really don’t have to-”

“Too late, I’m already going,” the younger yelled as he ran across the street and stood in front of the stand with his money in his hands, leaving a very shocked and embarrassed Hyunjin behind. “Can I have…” Seungmin’s eyes widened when he realized that he didn’t even get Hyunjin’s answer for what flavor he wanted, and he groaned internally as he looked between the different options. He settled for mint chocolate chip, since it _was_ a pretty generic ice cream flavor and because it was his favorite. “One cup of mint chocolate chip ice cream, please,” he said, earning a nod from the vendor. Seungmin quickly took the ice cream and paid, telling the vendor to keep the change as he ran back to Hyunjin with the cup.

“I got mint chocolate chip,” he said shyly. “It’s my favorite. I hope you don’t mind,” he muttered as he held it out to Hyunjin, peeking upwards towards the taller boy through his lashes. Seungmin felt his face heat up at the sight of the beaming boy, who seemed to be extremely happy from what the younger had done for him. “Why are you smiling so happily like that? It’s just ice cream,” Seungmin muttered as he felt a blush overtake his face, but the taller didn’t stop smiling excitedly.

“Because you got it for me, Seungminnie,” he said happily, only causing the younger to blush even more. “But one day, I’ll take _you_ out to get ice cream and I’ll buy us the biggest tub of ice cream there is,” Hyunjin said confidently as Seungmin fed him a spoon of ice cream. “You can count on it,” the older said as he licked his lips contentedly, and if Seungmin’s face could heat up even more, it did at that moment.

Seungmin wasn’t sure what about about that sight was so intriguing. Maybe it was the way that Hyunjin smiled, his pearly whites shining every time he did it. Maybe it was the way he laughed, how his laugh was like tiny bells that Seungmin couldn’t help but adore. Maybe it was the way that he just seemed so grateful and appreciative for the younger, even though Seungmin didn’t quite see the situation as something quite so big. Maybe it was the way that Hyunjin looked at Seungmin during that moment, like he didn’t know what he would do without the younger.

Or maybe… maybe it was just that love decided to take over Seungmin’s heart without permission at that exact moment, and just _everything_ about Hyunjin made his heart beat just the slightest bit faster.

But even though the feeling _should_ have been positive, it only caused dread in the younger’s heart as he noticed that his feelings for his best friend had changed. He didn’t want it to change their relationship, especially since he thought that Hyunjin was straight and would never fall for him. Hyunjin knew he was gay; Seungmin had come out to him earlier that year, only to be showered with care and kindness from the taller. But even though Hyunjin knew, Seungmin couldn’t face the possible repercussions of confessing to his best friend.

So, Seungmin kept his feelings locked away, and buried them so deep within himself that he refused to even think about them. He dated other people since then, people that he actually liked, but none of them could compare to Hyunjin. Even through love and heartbreak, Seungmin kept reassuring himself that he’d find someone, someone who was better than Hyunjin, so that he could forget about his best friend and the feelings he had for him.

And Seungmin thought that he had found that within his most recent boyfriend. But when he saw him with another girl, just like with his very first boyfriend, he found himself running back to Hyunjin, just like he had a few years ago. When he cried to Hyunjin, he wasn’t only crying about losing the boyfriend he had truly thought would help him forget about Hyunjin; he was also crying over how much he loved Hyunjin, and how no one else could replace the older in his life. After enduring for so many years, trying and trying to forget about Hyunjin, Seungmin could only find himself running back to his best friend, the only person who had never hurt him or left his side.

Even though Seungmin was sad because of what his boyfriend had done, he couldn’t help but feel just a little bit happy because Hyunjin had come to help him, to comfort him until he felt better. Initially, he was simply happy knowing that the boy he had loved for so many years was there for him, even if he didn’t quite love him back. But after he had heard what Hyunjin had said and felt the kisses he pressed to his head while he had almost fallen asleep, Seungmin didn’t know what to feel, or how to interpret the words Hyunjin had said to him.

When Seungmin woke up that morning in Hyunjin’s arms, he tried to brush off the words as simple words of platonic affection. But he couldn’t, since thoughts like _but why would he kiss you then?_ and _that_ “ _I love you” didn’t sound very platonic_ plagued his mind. Seungmin sighed, sitting up and pulling himself out of Hyunjin’s strong grip. He let his eyes lay upon Hyunjin for a few moments, observing Hyunjin’s pretty features; his mole under his eye, his long lashes, his light brown hair, his full lips. Seungmin felt his breath catch in his throat at the last thought and he forced himself to look away, standing up from the couch and turning away from the sleeping beauty. No, it wasn’t possible, he concluded. Someone like _that_ couldn’t like someone like _him_ , he thought with a sigh.

But his previous thoughts still evaded his mind as he brushed his teeth and took a shower, desperately trying to not think about the words Hyunjin had uttered. He decided to distract himself by making breakfast, but that plan ended up not working either, since a very drowsy Hyunjin entered the kitchen and stretched energetically. “Morning, Seungminnie,” he muttered as he stood behind Seungmin, wrapping his arms around the waist of his best friend and looking over his shoulder. “What are you making?”

Seungmin felt himself stiffen at the sudden touch, and he pulled himself out of Hyunjin’s grasp as he looked down at the pan. “Soup,” he muttered, not quite able to look at Hyunjin. The older seemed to notice the sudden tense shift in the air, and he stepped back from Seungmin hesitantly, fiddling with his fingers as he looked at the younger questioningly. An awkward silence fell between them, but Seungmin didn’t dare utter a word in fear of saying something he’d regret later.

“How are you feeling?” Hyunjin asked quietly after a few minutes, crossing his arms as Seungmin set the table, placed the food down for the two of them, and looked at the assortment of soup, fruit, and bread contentedly. The younger let out a sigh as he washed his hands and finally worked up the courage to glance at Hyunjin.

“Better. I’m not as sad now as I thought I would be,” Seungmin replied truthfully, careful not to let any more information out than was necessary. Afterwards, the tension between them seemed to only grow larger and larger, and Seungmin couldn’t help but feel like he was choking on air with the way that they were being around each other. It was nothing like the usual, where the two of them would laugh and joke around with each other.

Hyunjin remained silent for a few moments before speaking. “Did I do something wrong?” He asked, his voice becoming soft with the slightest hint of fear.

Seungmin’s eyes snapped back to Hyunjin, and he shook his head vigorously. “No, no, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just… I have a lot on my mind,” the younger muttered weakly. “I’m just overthinking something someone told me that probably didn’t matter anyway, that’s all,” he continued softly, and mentally reprimanded himself for doing exactly what he didn’t want to do: let out too much information.

Hyunjin remained silent again before letting out a shaky whisper. “You- you heard me, didn’t you?”

Seungmin felt his breath catch in his throat as he felt his hands start to shake nervously. Sometimes, he hated how perceptive Hyunjin could be, especially when it came to him. “Maybe,” he whispered back, beginning to fiddle with his fingers to reduce the shaking. “But it’s okay, I know you didn’t mean anything by it,” he said quickly, looking down at the floor.

“Do you really think that?” Hyunjin muttered, causing Seungmin to look up at him questioningly. “How could you _know_ that I didn’t mean anything by it?” The older asked, his voice becoming louder and shakier by the second. “How could you _know_ that I’m not dangerously in love with you, Kim Seungmin? How could you be _sure_?”

“I- I don’t understand what you mean,” Seungmin spluttered, backing up slowly and away from Hyunjin as the older began to take tentative steps towards him. He felt his back hit the wall, and his eyes widened as Hyunjin placed one hand on the wall behind him, effectively trapping him in place.

“What I _mean_ , Seungminnie, is that I am utterly, dangerously, _completely_ in love with you,” Hyunjin whispered against Seungmin’s lips before connecting them with his in one swift move. But Seungmin was too shocked to react, and the kiss ended even more quickly than it began as Hyunjin pulled away from the younger, looking at him with eyes that were full of sadness and heartbreak.

Hyunjin removed his hand from the wall and took a few tentative steps back, a single tear falling from his eyes as he began to turn away from Seungmin, who still was frozen from shock. When reality finally dawned on him, Seungmin quickly grabbed the front of Hyunjin’s shirt and pulled him back towards him, connecting their lips once again into a passionate kiss. Hyunjin’s eyes widened for a moment before closing slowly, and he wrapped his arms around Seungmin’s waist while the younger fisted his hands in the older’s shirt. They kissed slowly, treasuring the moment of newfound love until they finally broke apart for oxygen.

They looked at each other for what seemed like half a second before Hyunjin shoved Seungmin against the wall, placing his arm against it and trapping him once again before joining their lips together aggressively. The older bit down harshly on Seungmin’s plush lower lip, causing the younger to gasp from the sudden action. Hyunjin took this opportunity to shove his tongue into Seungmin’s mouth, not even giving the younger a chance to fight back as he attacked his mouth with his own. Hyunjin could feel the younger shaking underneath his touch as he swallowed the shaky moans and whimpers that threatened to leave the younger’s mouth.

When Hyunjin finally detached his lips from Seungmin’s swollen, battered, red ones, he resorted to attaching his lips to the younger’s jaw, placing soft kisses and bites as his lips trailed down his neck. It was then that Hyunjin was thankful that Seungmin had decided to wear a loose, large cotton shirt that exposed his collarbones as he pressed more aggressive kisses and bites along them. He traced his lips along every corner and crevice with ease, leaving purple marks everywhere that he kissed and eliciting soft whines from the younger. Hyunjin finally reached the joint between Seungmin’s neck and shoulders, and he bit down harshly, causing the younger to let out a loud, pleasured moan that caused Hyunjin to look at him with a proud smirk. Seungmin blushed a dark, crimson red as he covered his mouth with one hand, very evidently embarrassed by what he had done. Hyunjin laughed and pulled Seungmin’s hand off of his mouth as he softly kissed back up Seungmin’s neck, gently pressing his lips against the younger’s bruised, puffy ones in a soft kiss before disconnecting them and removing his arm from the wall.

Seungmin blushed even more when Hyunjin stepped back and observed him, shamelessly admiring his handiwork. “Stop looking at me like that,” Seungmin muttered as he anxiously pulled the collar of his shirt over his neck, desperate to cover the purple marks that now endowed his skin. But Hyunjin simply laughed and pressed a soft kiss to Seungmin’s cheek, smiling so brightly that Seungmin was sure that he was an angel that had descended from heaven.

“So, I take it that you love me back, huh?” Hyunjin asked mischievously with a smirk even though he already knew the answer. Seungmin felt the urge to playfully punch the taller’s shoulder, and he did exactly that, causing Hyunjin to yelp from the sudden gesture.

“ _B_ _apo,_  of course I love you back. I have since the summer after middle school,” Seungmin retorted confidently, blushing from embarrassment at the confession. “God, and I thought you were perceptive,” Seungmin muttered as he facepalmed from disappointment.

Hyunjin’s eyes widened at Seungmin’s confession, and he groaned outwardly, causing the younger to look at him with confusion. “And I’ve loved you since the summer after our first year of high school,” he muttered, causing Seungmin to stare at him in shock. “You’re telling me we could’ve been together from the very start? God, I’m such an idiot,” Hyunjin mumbled, blushing from embarrassment as he looked back at Seungmin, who was still looking at him with wide eyes. Hyunjin’s mouth slowly upturned into a humorous smirk, and the younger groaned, knowing that Hyunjin was probably going to say something cheesy or gross. “But I’m _your_ idiot,” he said with a laugh, confirming Seungmin’s prediction as he stood behind Seungmin and wrapped his arms around the younger’s waist.

“Disgusting. Utterly disgusting,” Seungmin muttered as he struggled to push Hyunjin off of him, failing drastically as Hyunjin’s strong arms held onto him tightly. But the happiness Seungmin felt was evident in the way he smiled largely and laughed merrily as he turned in Hyunjin’s arms, boldly pressing a quick, gentle kiss to the older’s lips. He laughed even more when Hyunjin blushed crimson and buried his face in the younger’s hickey-littered neck to hide his embarrassment.

The two of them proceeded throughout the day like that, with witty banter and gestures full of love and affection. Later in the evening, they both sat together happily on the couch, with Seungmin sitting comfortably in Hyunjin’s lap, his arms wrapped around the older’s neck and his legs straddling Hyunjin’s waist as they watched _The Incredibles 2_ in peaceful silence. But the silence was finally broken when Seungmin opened his mouth to speak.

“You know, I first fell in love with you when I bought you ice cream that one time you didn’t have any money,” Seungmin mumbled into his boyfriend’s neck. “You were so cute and happy I couldn’t help _but_ fall in love with you,” he muttered quietly. “You even told me that you were going to take me out to buy me the biggest tub of ice cream you could find to repay me, which, by the way, you haven’t done yet,” Seungmin said with a huff as he looked at Hyunjin with a pout, causing his boyfriend to smile humorously.

“Kim Seungmin, is this your way of making me ask you out on a date?” Hyunjin said with a laugh, and Seungmin felt a blush creep up on his neck as he buried his face in the older’s neck. “Fine. Seungminnie, will you go out with me tomorrow to get ice cream?”

“Of course,” he said happily, smiling contentedly as he placed a soft kiss on his boyfriend’s lips. “But I’ll let you pick the flavor this time, since I picked it last time. What flavor do you want?” Seungmin asked with a soft smile, mirroring the question he had asked the first time he had fallen for Hyunjin. Hyunjin stayed silent for a few moments before answering, an equally soft smile on his face.

“Mint chocolate chip.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'M HERE TO PROVIDE THE SEUNGJIN CONTENT STAYS DON'T RECEIVE XO  
> s t o p sleeping on the superior ship seungjin >o<
> 
> yeah i was very flustered when i was writing this and i cried a lot so jlksjlsjlfksj i hope y'all had as much fun reading this as i did writing it uwu!!! i love you a lot <3
> 
> thank you for reading!


End file.
